Legislature tries to make juvenile records secret

A coordinated lobbying effort across several states is pushing to keep all juvenile criminal records secret.

In Washington, the issue first surfaced at the state Supreme Court, where justices attempted to modify court rules so juveniles were indentified by initials only.

But after a coalition of court clerks, judges, media organizations, prosecutors and law enforcement groups objected, the court determined the process would be impossible to implement, given existing laws, and the complex web of justice system agencies.

Now the Legislature has taken up the cause with the introduction of SB 5644, a bill that if approved would close access by the public to all juvenile criminal records.

Introduced by Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, the bill drew comments in support and oppsition at a recent hearing.

Objecting was the same coalition that opposed the Supreme Court rule change.

“The undersigned members of court and community stakeholders write to express strong concerns about SB 5644 sponsored by Senator Frame,” said a letter signed by coalition members. “Based on our collective experience, we do not believe that SB 5644 as proposed would effectively address current problems and would create new, avoidable problems.”

Coalition members include the State Association of County Clerks, the state Association of

See JUVENILES, Page 2

Northwest Asian Weekly ceases print publication

After 41 years, the Northwest Asian Weekly and its sister publication, the Chinese Post, have ceased print distribution in Seattle.

The Northwest Asian Weekly will continue as a website, but the Post will shut down completely.

Publisher Assunta Ng announced the changes last month.

Through the decades, the